We’re YOUR Co-op!

Glades Electric is a not-for-profit electric cooperative built by neighbors, for neighbors. GEC serves parts of four counties in Florida’s Heartland: Glades, Hendry, Highlands and Okeechobee counties.

Glades Electric Cooperative was founded in 1945 by neighbors working together to bring electricity to the unserved, rural parts of Florida’s Heartland. Still today, Glades Electric provides at-cost electricity to more sparsely populated areas than neighboring investor-owned utilities, averaging seven meters per mile of service line. The co-op is one of nine Florida co-ops that purchase power from Seminole Electric Cooperative. In various places throughout our service area, other providers’ transmission lines may be used to deliver power from Seminole, but Seminole is our sole-source power provider.

We’re locally-owned by our members and are led by nine trustees who are co-op members elected by fellow members. As you can tell, we’re all about our cooperative members!

Cooperatives Power Communities with Purpose

Communities come in all shapes and sizes. Some are based on geographical proximity, some are based on shared interests or hobbies, and some communities can even be found in virtual spaces like social media groups. Regardless of where they are formed, communities can create a sense of belonging.

Glades Electric Cooperative is deeply committed to our consumer-members, and we’re glad you are part of the electric cooperative community.

This month, more than 30,000 cooperatives across the U.S. are celebrating National Co-op Month. It’s a time to reflect on the aspects that set cooperatives apart from other types of businesses and celebrate the power of co-op membership.

Electric cooperatives are not-for-profit utilities that are built by the communities they serve. For Glades Electric, our mission has always been to provide safe, reliable, affordable power. We care about your quality of life, and because we are locally operated, we’re uniquely suited to meet our members’ evolving energy needs.

Beyond the business of electricity, our employees and trustees are equally invested in our local community. Why? Because we live here, too. That’s why we support local economic development projects, youth programs and scholarships, charitable giving initiatives and additional programs that make our community a better place to call home.

All co-ops, including Glades Electric, are guided by seven cooperative principles that embody the values and spirit of the cooperative movement. These seven principles are a framework to help all co-ops navigate challenges and opportunities while remaining true to our purpose:

1. Open and Voluntary Membership: Co-op membership is open to anyone who can use the co-op’s services.
2. Democratic Member Control: Members make decisions that shape the cooperative. Why? Because co-ops are created by members, for members.
3. Members’ Economic Participation: Members contribute money to the co-op to make sure it runs smoothly now and in the future. At Glades Electric, this happens through paying your energy bills.
4. Autonomy and Independence: Co-ops are independent and can operate on their own, which ultimately benefits the members.
5. Education, Training and Information: Co-ops continuously focus on education to ensure employees and trustees have the training and information they need to make the co-op successful.
6. Cooperation Among Cooperatives: Co-ops share with and learn from other cooperatives. We help each other out because we want other co-ops to thrive.
7. Concern for Community: All cooperatives work for the greater good of the local communities they serve. Co-ops give back to their communities to help them thrive and grow.

As we celebrate National Co-op Month and the power of membership, we hope you know the many aspects that set electric cooperatives apart. Our mission is reliable power. Our purpose is people––the local communities we’re proud to serve.